Wednesday, December 15, 2010

This was delicous! I had it at a baby shower, then, stopped for the ingredients on the way home. I ate it for lunch over the next few days. Just thinking about it makes me want it again today!{Chinese Chicken Salad}recipe from Sandi4oz. Slivered almonds3T sesame seeds2T vegetable oil

I used a method I learned from my dad for "tossing the salad." You see, Dad, often takes a salad for lunch at work. And, you cannot dress a salad that early in the day. So, he puts all of the salad together in his container. At lunch time, he pours on the dressing, replaces the lid, and shakes it up.

You can, actually, dress this salad ahead of time because the cabbage is so hearty. It will hold up for a while - even a few days in the fridge!

Sunday, December 12, 2010

We haven't had a basket for almost a month! I was so excited to get another basket , and this one was great. Here's what we got:2 napa cabbages,1 spaghetti squash (plus, one for volunteering),6 grey squash (like a zucchini),5 lbs of potatoes,2 cucumbers7 bananas,6 grapefruit,8 oranges,5 pears,7 fuji apples

I am going to make SukiYaki this week with my Napa Cabbage, "Spaghetti" with marinara and parmesan, and stuffed zucchini boats. We will be eating a lot of fruit with our meals this week, but it will be really yummy! Maybe, I will even switch my "waiting in the oven dinner to California Enchiladas this week.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Remember back in November, when I promised you a Stuffed Acorn Squash recipe - well, today is the day!

I got this recipe from a friend at church. It came through a "light and healthy" recipe exchange. I love it! And, I know that my friend's family does, too. In fact, the day that we received acorn squash in our Bountiful Baskets, she was trying to trade other things for extra acorn squash.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut squash in half, remove seeds and place squash cut side down in a pan or dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until tender.In a large skillet, combine sausage, mushrooms, celery and onions. Cook until meat is done and veggies are tender. Drain well. In a small bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Blend well. Stir into sausage mixture. Spoon evenly into squash halves and bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until heated thoroughly.

You could prepare this recipe through stuffing the squash ahead of time, then, just bake it off when it is time for dinner!

Monday, November 22, 2010

I know it has been a while since I posted a dinner menu. We have been trying to eat healthier, but that means a lot of the same from South Beach or other various diet cookbooks. And, my husband traveled all of last week, so pretty much we ate whatever the boys wanted and I foudn something in the fridge. So, here is this week's fast menu.

Sunday, November 21, 2010

I am starting to pull together ideas for our Thanksgiving dinner. Being from a family that loves food, we tend to try new recipes each year until we find the one that we love! I know some families that eat the same basic, bland stuffing every year - not us! We have made so many different stuffings over the years, it is so fun to sit down to dinner on Thanksgiving.

For dessert, there is one essential pie for our Thanksgiving table - Banana Cream. Years ago, when my grandparents moved to Michigan, they celebrated with families from Church because their family was in Utah. The woman who always made the pies, brought Banana Cream pie every year. Now, it has become a tradition that we cannot go without! I am wondering if I can sneak in this variation this year: Banana Carmel Cream Pie.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

This may sound strange to many out there, but I have been drinking and really enjoying a Green Smoothie each morning this week. I had a friend who told me she was drinking them about a year a half ago, then, a woman in our Bountiful Baskets co-op said that her family drinks them too. And, I decided to give it a try since we have so much spinach and greens coming our way.{Megan's Green Smoothie}

juice of 1 orange

2 1/2 inches of banana, diced

3-4 frozen strawberries

1 tsp Truvia sweetener

2 C packed spinach (or other greens)

a couple Tbsp water

Layer in your blender with spinach closest to the blade. Blend until well mixed. Add water as necessary to get it to spin, or to a good drinking consistency. Enjoy!

Saturday, November 13, 2010

No pictures this week, I was helping longer than normal at the site today. Then, my husband was headed out to run errands, so I quickly divided our basket so that he could take my parents their share.This is what we received this week:5 lbs of Russet potatoes5 large turnips (so excited!)2 acorn squash2 bunches of celery2 eggplant (1 was my volunteer extra)1 bunch of spinach7 bananas6 persimmons5 Granny Smith apples4 pears

Friday, November 12, 2010

I used my Kabocha Squash from Bountiful Baskets for Orzotto. Yeah, you read that right - Orzotto. It is like Risotto in method only faster.It Kabocha Squash was really hard to cut through, at least, for me. So, I prepped the squash one day and threw together a quick dinner when it became obvious that this would take too long and the children were starving!

I would recommend that 1) you start early if you try this, 2) you look for squash already cubed, or 3) you substitute butternut squash for the kabocha.

In a heavy-bottomed medium sauce pan, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and squash, sauté until beginning to soften. Add the orzo and toast for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the wine and cook until absorbed.

Gradually add the stock, stirring frequently. Bring to a simmer and cover; cook for 8-10 minutes until liquid is almost absorbed and orzo or barley is tender. Remove from heat.

Stir in the cream, parmesan and herbs. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Monday, November 1, 2010

As my husband and I spend more time trying to revamp our eating habits, I am having to be more creative with what we eat. I went back to this dip recipe from a dear friend of mine to help us with that. This recipe is easy to whip up, and you probably already have the ingredients in your kitchen.{Dill & Cottage Cheese Vegetable Dip}recipe adapted from my dear friend, Carol Loveless1 C cottage cheese1/4-1/3 C mayonnaise1/2 T dried minced onion1/2 T parsley1/2 t dried dill1/2 t seasoning salt

Mix all ingredients together. Place in the refrigerator for several hours prior to serving. Serve with vegetables.

Take Two: My mother often eats cottage cheese and tomatoes as a salad. I thought this dill dip would be a great way to add a little extra flavor to that dish!{Tomato & Cottage Cheese Salad}dill & cottage cheese dipquartered cherry tomatoesdiced carrots

I split my basket with my mother again, but that is still a lot of persimmons! So, here are some recipes and ideas I found for using them up:Persimmon Salsa as an accompaniment to fishPersimmon Jam, or this version without pectinThere are also several recipes floating around for persimmon desserts that you could try.

The rest of our basket was pretty straight forward, or things that we commonly eat. And, I came across this recipe in my searching. I am, actually, secretly hoping to get brussel sprouts one of these weeks.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Today I received my first basket of produce from Bountiful Baskets. It was great! We received:

2 bunches of celery, spinach, heads of cauliflower, kabocha squash

1 cantalope

11 bananas

12 plums

6 apples

8 oranges

3 pomegranates

7 pears

My mother and I split 1 traditional basket and still had plenty for each of our families. I am so excited about doing produce this way. It will help us to have more variety in our diets, and have plenty of options for each meal.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Heat a 6-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Brush the skillet with some butter. Working quickly, pour 3 tablespoons of the egg mixture into the pan, swirling to coat the bottom of the pan evenly. When egg begins to set, flip crepe to cook other side. Slide onto a plate and repeat to make 10 crepes total, brushing the skillet with melted butter as needed and stacking crepes on the plate.

Butter a 13 by 9 by 2-inch baking dish. Arrange 1 egg crepe on a work surface. Place some of the fontina and mozzarella cheese in the center of the egg crepe, then sprinkle with some basil. Roll up the crepe. Place the filled crepe in the prepared baking dish, seam side down. Repeat with the remaining egg crepes, cheese, and basil. Spoon the marinara sauce over the crepes. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and top with more basil. Bake until the cheese melts and the top is golden, about 15 minutes.

*You could also grate the fontina and mozzarella cheeses. Just place them in the freezer for a few minutes to harden a little before grating. Sprinkle any remaining cheese over the top of the crepes.

Thursday, September 30, 2010

"Breaded" chicken doesn't do so well when it is cooled, stored and reheated. So, I came up with this option for my husband's lunch the next day. Mind you, it was difficult to keep enough away from the children to even have something leftover!{Cobb Salad}South Beach Diet-friendlyfresh lettucecheddar cheesecucumbersleftover Almond Chickenhard-boiled eggtomatoesturkey baconsliced olives, if you have them

Layer together in a large to-go container. At lunch time, top with dressing and shake. Yumm!

Mix together meat sauce and tomato sauce, and simmer on stove. Prepare pasta by under cooking by 4 minutes, based on the box's directions. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the ricotta, 1 C mozzarella, 2 T parmesan, egg, parsley and black pepper. Mix 1/2 half of the cheese mixture with the cooked pasta. In your baking dish layer: 1 C of the meast sauce, 1/2 of the pasta, remaining cheese mixture, 1 1/2 C meat sauce, remaining pasta, remaining meat sauce, mozzarella, and parmesan. Bake for 30 minutes. If your baking dish is VERY full, you will want to place something under it to catch the bubbling over that may occur.Serve with a vegetable, green salad and bread. Such a comforting fall meal!

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

In an effort to broaden our low-carb, South Beach-friendly recipe collection, I came up with this twist on my sister-in-law's Parmesan Chicken Tenders. We substitute ground nuts for the bread crumbs. My kids ate it up! The littest one ate two chicken tenders by himself, which is unheard of for my children.{Crunchy Almond Chicken Tenders}1 C whole almonds1/3 C grated parmesan cheese (in this case, from a can works great)1 tsp salt1/2 tsp ground black pepper1/4 - 1/2 tsp garlic powder1/4 C egg substitute8 - 10 chicken tenders, thawed

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, and grease a cookie sheet. Place almonds in a food processor, and chop into crumbs. Mix in cheese, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Place in a shallow dish. Pour egg substitute into another shallow dish. Pat chicken dry, then place in egg substitute. Transfer to crumb mixture for "breading." Place on a cookie sheet and repeat with remaining tenders. Bake at 400 degrees for 13 minutes, or until a meat thermometer reaches 165 degrees. Remove from oven and let rest for 8 minutes.

Serve with a green salad and a side of vegetables. Leftovers are great diced over a Cobb-style Salad.

Place olive oil in a large pot and heat over medium-high heat. Add carrots, celery, onion, and garlic and saute for 4-5 minutes.Add in the black beans, chilies, water, and beef boullion. Stir to combine and then add seasonings.Simmer uncovered for about 20-25 minutes or until carrots are tender.Remove from heat. Remove bay leaf from soup. Puree soup with an immersion blender, or in batches in a regular blender.Ladle into bowls and garnish as desired.

Friday, August 20, 2010

My cousin called recently in a panic. She was hosting a bridal shower and had planned on chicken salad croissants with Sonoma Chicken Salad from Costco. Only, Costco didn't have it beause it was being discontinued. We poked around on the interent for some good alternatives and, then, I remembered this recipe.I got this recipe from my grandmother, the summer that I visited her in Hong Kong after graduating from high school. It was contributed by a friend to their Ward Cookbook. I ate it in Hong Kong and fell in love. Years later I still come back to it for a special occasion. It is so delicious! I love the citrusy flavor in the dressing. And, the rice helps you add bulk for a crowd without blowing your budget. The recipe makes A LOT, so be prepared to feed the neighborhood or cut it down.

Saturday, August 7, 2010

We had grilled pizza last night with our friends. I had seen this recipe before, but have never gotten around to trying it. Our friends have, and they liked it so much they made it again with us. I loved it! It is fresh, crispy and delicious - all the things a summer meal should be.{Grilled Flatbread with Ricotta, Tomatoes and Roasted Garlic Oil}original recipe here1/2 cup olive oil1 head of roasted garlic1 ball of pizza dough1 (8-ounce) container ricotta cheese, drainedSalt and freshly ground pepper3 plum tomatoes, very thinly sliced2 tablespoons chiffonade fresh basil

Roasted Garlic Oil:Cut the top off of the garlice, drizzle with olive oil, bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Place oil and garlic cloves in a blender and blend until smooth. Strain.

Flatbread:Flatten pizza dough, gently press into a large rectangle, brush liberally with olive oil, and throw on grill. Grill on both sides until golden brown. Spread 1 side with ricotta, sprinkle with salt and pepper, scatter tomatoes over, drizzle with Roasted Garlic Oil, and garnish with basil and more freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately.

*To really kick the flavor up, top off with a sprinkle of truffle salt. Thanks, Sheila!

Sunday, August 1, 2010

It is AUGUST, and we are almost done traveling for the summer. We were gone, literally, every weekend in July with only a few weekdays spent at home. But, it was a great time to be together as a family and see extended family as well. I will go back and add recipe for many of the summer dishes that we have been eating, so that you can sneak some in before it gets too late.

Monday, June 14, 2010

At the beginning of June, I hosted a Ball Fresh Taste of Summer Party. I was selected to demo products and teach others how to preserve their summer harvest.

We had a "working lunch" with some close friends to celebrate the wonderful taste of summer. I prepared my version of Pepper Jelly before the party and we made a batch of Homemade Salsa together.{Confetti Pepper Jelly}

Prepare water bath canner and jars for canning.Combine bell peppers, jalapeno peppers, and vinegar in a large saucepan. Gradually stir in pectin. Bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down. Add sugar and honey. Return to a boil. Boil hard for 3 full minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and skim foam if necessary. Ladle hot jelly into jars leaving 1/4" headspace. Wipe rim and center lid on jar. Screw band on. Process filled jars in a water bath canner for 10 minutes. Remove from canner and allow to cool.

While the salsa was cooking and, then, processing we dined on Pepper Jelly & Cream Cheese appetizers, Chips & Salsa, Lemon Cucumber Water, and Chipotle Chicken Taco Salad. Each guest went home with a reuseable gift bag full of coupons for Ball products, a box of pectin to make their own jam or jelly, recipes, ideas for how to use their Pepper Jelly, a jar of Pepper Jelly, a jar of Salsa, and some with other prizes too.

Saturday, June 12, 2010

This looked so good, I have to remember to try it. I have heard about using nuts in place of bread crumbs for those aiming for lower carb diets, but never tried it. And, I love grilled cheese, so this is a definite must try.

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

We just returned from a fabulous, relaxing weekend with my family. And, as always, we celebrated with food. Many of the foods we ate are traditional for our Memorial Day weekend together, but we tried some fun new things too!

Friday, May 14, 2010

It's Friday Night and that means it is Pizza Night at our house. So, I thought I would share a new twist on pizza! Inspired by the idea found on Our Best Bites, I set out to make this one for my family.

My kids like the tiny little bites and the dipping. I discovered that I do like Canadian Bacon Pizza, who knew?{Stuffed Pizza Rolls}1 batch of pizza dough (or 1/2 if you only want one pan)pizza toppings of choice (pepperoni, ham & pineapple, chicken and bacon)mozzarella cheeseolive oil cooking sprayparmesan cheeseitalian seasoningmarinara sauce for dipping

Roll pizza dough out into a large rectangle, about 12" x 8". Cut the dough into 24 squares, about 2" x 2" each. Place pizza topping of choice and some mozzarella onto every spuare. Gather up the edges and seal it shut. Spray a 9" cake pan or pie plate, and place rolls in it as you go. When all of the dough is finished, spray the tops with cooking spray. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese and italian seasoning (unless, of course, you children avoid anything green in color).

Bake in a 400 degree oven for 15-20 minutes. Serve warm with marinara sauce to dip in.*Freezer Instructions: Prepare rolls to the point of baking. Freeze in a foil cake pan covered with plastic wrap and, then, foil. Thaw, in the refrigerator, or bake an additional 15 minutes straight from the freezer.*

Thursday, May 13, 2010

I attended a cooking class on Springtime Risotto, and the teacher mentioned a pasta with peas and pancetta, similar to a risotto we made in the class. It sounded so good, I had to find a way to make it. So, after searching the web for ideas, I decided just to go for it.{Pasta with Peas & Pancetta}1 lb shell-shaped pasta (medium shells, orrechiette)1 lb frozen peas1/2 Tbsp olive oil3 oz. pancetta, diced2 shallots, chopped1/4 C chicken broth, or white wine1/2 Tbsp buttergrated parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and salt liberally. Add pasta and cook per directions, adding the peas for the last 3 minutes. (You may need an extra minute or so, because the cold peas will slow the cooking a little.) In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Cook the pancetta until crisp. Add shallots and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Deglaze the pan with your chicken broth. Reserve 1 C of the past water, and drain pasta. Toss butter, pasta and peas into the skillet. Stir to combine. Add some parmesan cheese and some of your pasta water, to make a slightly creamy sauce. Serve warm, top each serving with a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

Bring chicken stock to a boil, and stir in polenta. When polenta is finished cooking stir in shredded cheese.Saute portabello in olive oil and thyme. Add shallots for last 2 minutes of cooking. Season with salt and pepper. Serve over warm polenta.

Monday, May 10, 2010

I found this recipe online and sent it to my sister as an idea for dessert on Mother's Day. She and my dad made it up for us, and it was delicious!{Salted Caramel Ice Cream}original recipe here3 1/2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk3 large egg yolks1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar1/4 cup heavy cream1 tablespoon butter1/2 teaspoon sea salt1/2 teaspoon flake salt

Place milk in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Heat to 180° or until tiny bubbles form around edge of pan (do not boil). Place egg yolks in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Gradually add half of hot milk to yolks, stirring constantly. Return yolk mixture to pan.

Combine sugar, cream, and butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; bring to a boil, stirring until sugar melts. Cook 3 minutes without stirring. Remove from heat; stir in sea salt. Gradually add caramel mixture to yolk mixture, stirring constantly. Return pan to low heat; cook until a thermometer registers 160°. Place pan in a large ice-filled bowl until completely cooled, stirring occasionally. Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer; freeze according to manufacturer's instructions. Drain ice water from freezer bucket; repack with salt and ice. Cover with kitchen towels, and let stand 1 hour or until firm. Scoop about 1/2 cup ice cream into each of 10 dishes; sprinkle evenly with flake salt.

Monday, May 3, 2010

Just in case, those in charge of your breakfast this Sunday need a little help. Here are some ideas for a Mother's Day breakfast. They are either fast or can be made the night ahead with instructions for morning preparation. Hey, whatever works right?

Chop the veggies up super small. Mix the veggies, seasonings, and hamburger together. Add the egg and mix well. Mix the flour and water together to make a paste. Lay won ton wrappers out. Dip your finger in the paste and then coat the inside edges of the wrappers with it. Place about 1 T of meat mixture into the center of each wrapper. Fold the edges of each wrapper together, and press so the paste has a chance to seal. Repeat with all wrappers.

In an electric skillet heat 1 T olive oil. Fry the won tons over medium heat (covered) for about 5-6 minutes. Remove the lid, turn the won tons over and cook for another 5-6 minutes (uncovered).

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

A while back, we met my husband for lunch at a foodcourt near his office. I had Lentil Soup. It was statisfying and delicious. I ran out and bought lentils to recreate the soup at home, but they have sat in my cupboard for a few months. Today, it was pouring rain. They kids and I were running to the car and getting soaked. As I sat in the car, wet while driving home, I decided that soup was what we needed for lunch.{Lentil and Vegetable Soup} adapted from this recipe1 tablespoon olive oil1 large onions, diced1/2 teaspoon minced garlic1 large carrots, diced1 stalk celery, sliced1 can tomato sauce3/4 cup orange lentils1/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper1/4 cup water

In a large stockpot, saute the onions in oil until they are glossy. Stir in garlic, paprika, celery, carrots, and saute for 10 minutes. Once the vegetables have sauteed for 10 minutes stir in tomatoes, chicken stock, lentils, bay leaves, salt, and pepper. Stir well, then add the wine and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce heat and cook for 35-40 minutes; or until the lentils are tender.Sprinkle the soup with parmesan before serving.

Monday, April 26, 2010

I have been inspired by Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution and a couple cooking classes that I have taken to cook more from scratch. It really isn't that hard, and it provides a great opportunity to make it healthier.

Last night we had Spaghetti with Extra Vegetable Sauce.

{Spagehtti Sauce with Extra Vegetables}1 Tbsp olive oil

1/2 lb ground meat, optional

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

1 carrot, peeled and shredded

1 zuchini, shredded

1/2 C cubed butternut squash

2 cans tomatoes, puree in can

1/8 tsp oregano, basil, pepper

1/2 tsp salt, more to tasteHeat olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add onions, carrots, and zucchini. Saute for about 5 minutes. If adding meat, cook with the vegetables. Warm butternut squash in the microwave, then puree. Puree tomatoes in the can with an immersion blender. Add squash, tomatoes and spices to the saucepan. Heat through, then simmer for about 10-15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.

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Everyday is a cooking adventure for us as we try to eat healthy, work together, and build memories. Instead of one little person helping me, I now have two. I cook with one on a chair and one on my hip.